True, true - chains can be both messy & noisy, yet the (marginal) friction losses of a belt drive yet w/all the same or worse tensioning issues resulting in slip (suspension travel too), I figure for this app, chains were the way to go...

Belts are a nice option for a standard bicycle four stroke conversion tho, I'm sure you're familiar with Wizzers?

I wish ya had a coupla pics of your ol' "trike go-cart" lol, such beasts are always awesome to behold

TBH, I do think tadpoles are a lil... odd looking save for the form following function aspect ofc *shrug* I've dabbled a bit with trying for a "pretty" motorized bike* & while I do like it, it's got about a 100 mile range maximum - or to be more accurate, I've got about a hundred miles I can put up with before I'm totally sore & exhausted, despite the sprung forks & seat and it's balloon tires.

While I've done my best to quiet it, the noise & vibration of the cheap two stroke has a lot to do w/it as well...

Which is ofc what lead me to look into a four stroke/electric suspended tadpole

Yes actually, lots of 'em - so many in fact it's given me a headache lol

TBH, turning this thing into a full fledged velomobile is more than a lil bit of a challenge and I'm not sure about the consequences... everything is a compromise & one of the ones I had to make was it's overall length in order to motorize & suspend. I've been trying to keep it's wheelbase as close as possible to other "preformance" tadpole trikes - but I did hafta add roughly 10" to it's wheelbase to squeeze the motor in there w/the rear suspension's travel accounted for... and it all adds up.

While that may not seem like much & it isn't particularly in height (gonna defo need the silly orange flag lol) - as soon as I start trying to match a body shell to it, it starts getting ridiculous, the width and very much the length start becoming relatively unmanageable, a minimum of ten feet long for example (pedal/feet clearance).

Add in some factors like difficulty in entering/exiting, visibility concerns (mine, others would ofc see me even better), weight & balance (leaning body mass for stability), ground clearance (suspension travel), and transportability (it just fits in the back of a pickup ATM) as well as the admittedly minor, even trite considerations regarding aesthetics... and it's become overwhelming to the point that I've shelved the idea for now...

...but I am w/o doubt open to any & all ideas regarding any aerodynamic suggestions or body shell ideas, I've not given up on it by any means - I've jus' got a couple few far more basic things on my plate lol, in the interim I've been considering one of these: Mueller Human Power Recumbent Fairings and Bicycle Windscreens

As for those "basics", I did finally get my pedal chain & power idlers sorted - other'n some lil things, the chassis "fabrication" stage is done & now it's all modification and component work

Add in some factors like difficulty in entering/exiting, visibility concerns...

Mine was 9' long with the full fairing since I have a hub motor, and no frame extension, 40" wide, and 3' high with the roof on from 2005 t0 2010, then I took the top off then removed the shell in 2011. Amusing that you are thinking ahead (like I should have). I had to get in like a "pretzel" into a 4" off the ground floorboard into a 2' long open door. Couldn't see behind me with the top on (whale tail was also a headrest).

What "ruined" it was speed. I went my top speed downhill; then aerodynamics and gravity took over. Climbed right out of safe control. Way too fast! When I stopped - I dismantled the trike the next day. Scared me!

The rebuilt trike top speed is nowhere near what it was; but that is fine with me! I do not care for those orange flags, but that 2 tone 'Be Seen' flag is good enough!

Thanks for sharing your experience Christopher, I'm basing my decisions mostly on "gut feelings" and quite a bit of clicky research lol - I've no time on a recumbent/taddy whatsoever, this 'uns my first

So your feedback is greatly appreciated - while I'm not building it for speed, I am trying for efficiency & it's interesting to note the two are often intertwined... I suspect this thing will be plenty fast 'nuff even w/o a body, but still, I'd love to see what kinda mileage I'd get w/one.

The 'Windwrap' fairing I linked to prolly isn't the best for aerodynamics despite it's advertising, I'm most likely still going to try one for comfort considerations though...

The mueller fairing makes a pretty fair front if you attach coroplast sides. By itself you probably won't notice any difference.

Your drive train makes a lot of turns. how much friction do you notice when you pedal backwards. I think it is a reasonable measure of drive line friction. Hope that you are using quality idler wheels.

__________________
"A man is not finished when he is defeated. He is finished when he quits."
Richard M. Nixon

"The reward of suffering is experience."Harry S. Truman

“There's no way to rule innocent men. The only power any government has is the power to crack down on criminals. Well, when there aren't enough criminals, one makes them. One declares so many things to be a crime that it becomes impossible for men to live without breaking laws.” Ayn Rand

I agree, w/o the sides & tail I suspect a fairing would be mostly for comfort - which ofc I've no aversion to lol... yet seeing the above pic has brought another concern to my attention & one I'd not considered before (thanks BTW), & that's weather - most particularly side gusts.

While the above body shell no doubt vastly reduces wind resistance under ideal conditions & it's hard to tell from the pic how tall it actually is - I can't help but wonder what effect it had on handling & control, say w/a variable 20mph crosswind for example... a phenomenon not uncommon at all on the coast of Maine (to be guilty of a grave understatement heh). While I think I'd have some advantage over the above (what appears to be) bicycle with the lateral stability a trike provides... I think perhaps I'd attempt a more "form fitting" body, reducing it's profile as much as possible.... which granted, my not be possible at all.

Unfortunately yes, my pedal chain takes a somewhat convoluted route & worse yet it's redirects are on the power side. After many admittedly silly attempts to pass it through the A arm suspension (to try and increase ground clearance), I resorted to blatantly copying the chain path used on an unsuspended taddy. As I've that great honkin' engine case in the way - I've little choice. It's only a lil 49cc four stroke, but as it's an auto clutch (I've already too many levers and whatnot lol) it's somewhat wide (11").

I do appreciate the link to the V belt pulleys as it seems the second ya seek "recumbent" bits, the price triples regardless of how basic the part may be - strikingly similar to "marine" or "aviation" stuff it seems lol, I took another option however and one that's seemed to work really well. Despite the fact my "clicky" research informed me that I should use cogs on the power side (to reduce the felt vibration of links passing over a roller), I simply got some inexpensive skateboard wheels and lathed them down to accept the chain & replaced their shoddy bearings w/some quality sealed ones I happened to already have. I'm planning on getting some better skateboard wheels at some point, a softer compound (again, reduce felt vibration) yet at the time the cheapos were all I could find locally & as I'd never attempted to lathe skateboard wheels before - I figured these would be good enough for my experimentation.

As it turns out it worked really well, with the teflon chain return tube, 'Starboard' (fancy overpriced plastic, same as a cutting board tho) chain retainers & tube supports and the new route - I can now pedal and back pedal freely w/o binding or undue friction... ofc there's some friction, but the pedals will free spin a couple of turns despite the chain being bone dry.

I'm thinking there will be far more drag from the jackshaft & engine chain (clutched) than there is from my two pedal chain idlers... yet this "pedal assist" motorized trike differs a bit from others in that I hope to pedal to assist it as opposed to it assisting me, should somehow two out of it's three motive systems fail leaving only my leg power... well, I hope I'm not too far from home lol - it's heavy for a tadpole trike if nothing else. It still weighs in less than a factory new two stroke Tomos moped however, something I'm perhaps disproportionately proud of - and I can thank it's LifPo4 battery packs & (double walled) aluminum wheelset for

Here's a coupla pics of the idlers while I was making them, I may redo them as I can squeeze a hair more ground clearance if I remake the Starboard & stainless bits... but it'd be fractional at best *shrug*

Here is an early web page showing the bike and the coroplast fairing. coroplast fairing

I have ridden it fully faired on a lot of centuries, road races and track events. It does fine in the wind when running in the mid 20 mph range. The key to having a good handling road machine is to keep the the nose spherical and the body short.

a mueller fairing would be the start of nice streamlined shape. Mueller will sell overblown fairings pretty cheap. Just build a mount and you are in business.

When your skate wheels fail consider the pulleys. Don't worry about having the teeth.

__________________
"A man is not finished when he is defeated. He is finished when he quits."
Richard M. Nixon

"The reward of suffering is experience."Harry S. Truman

“There's no way to rule innocent men. The only power any government has is the power to crack down on criminals. Well, when there aren't enough criminals, one makes them. One declares so many things to be a crime that it becomes impossible for men to live without breaking laws.” Ayn Rand